Putting Jesus Where He Belongs

This is the letter promulgating new norms for the placement of the Tabernacle in the diocese of Ft.Wayne-South Bend. After the statement I have a couple of comments & will share what I see are some key paragraphs of the norms.

Bishop promulgates norms for tabernacle placement

To Priests, Deacons, Religious, and to All the Faithful,

The presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament is at the center of our faith and of the devotional life of our Catholic people.

In recent years, the place of the tabernacle in our churches has become a source of controversy. This should not be. The Eucharist, whether we are referring to its celebration or to the place of reservation, should always be a means of unity and communion, and never of division.

The place of the tabernacle in our church should reflect our faith in the real presence of Christ, and should always be guided by church documents.

My experience is that our people, with their instinct of faith, have always desired that the tabernacle be central and visible. They find it confusing when the tabernacle in their churches is not visible, and if possible, central.

Because of my responsibility to foster the devotional life of our people, and to keep it sound, I have asked our Office of Worship to prepare norms for the placement and design of the tabernacle in this diocese. These norms were brought before the Presbyteral Council, the Liturgical Commission and the Environment and Arts Committee. Suitable refinements and improvements were prepared.

These norms are promulgated to the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend on June 14, 2009, the feast of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of the Lord. They will be effective on Aug. 4, 2009, the feast of St. John Mary Vianney, the patron saint of priests, in whose honor the present Year for Priests has been dedicated by the Holy Father Benedict XVI.

I urge all priests to follow these norms carefully and completely, and most importantly — to foster devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Sincerely yours in our Lord,
Most Reverend John M. D’Arcy

The key paragraph of the norms says:
"4. In the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, the Bishop has judged that the tabernacle is normally to be prominently located in the sanctuary of the church, along the central axis behind the main altar. Under this arrangement, the tabernacle should be at an elevated, open location in the apse area, or in another central place in the sanctuary that is equally conspicuous. Where a high altar with a tabernacle remains in place, it is appropriate to continue using this noble structure for the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament. "

So far, so good. But it gets better. Bishop D'Arcy isn't just setting the rules for future buildings or remodelings. he does deal with that in par. 5 He then goes on to talk about existing Church buildings:

" 6. In those existing places of sacred worship where the tabernacle is currently located elsewhere in the sanctuary or the main body of the church, a liturgical consultation with the faithful and with the Diocese should begin, regarding the possibility of moving the tabernacle to a central position in the sanctuary. Especially if the tabernacle in a particular church was central at one time and then was moved, it should be returned to its original location.
7. If a separate, previously approved tabernacle chapel is to remain in use at a particular church, its location must somehow be made obvious and “readily visible to the Christian faithful” who enter the church.

A legitimate and historical tradition does exist for designating separate chapels for the reservation of the Holy Eucharist. This practice is appropriately adopted where such a side chapel is “organically connected” with the main nave of the church. Proposed exceptions for future separate reservation chapels will be evaluated along these lines, and if approved, must feature a centrally located tabernacle along with a substantial amount of seating and kneelers for
adoration.. "

It sounds to me like the Bishop is saying he expects the tabernacle to be restored to its central place in the Church. He acknowledges the fact that there are reasons why a tabernacle should be in a seperate chapel. But he is also making sure that it is much more than the mere closet too many of those so-called chapels really are.

The next part of the norms gives the "THEOLOGICAL RATIONALE FOR SUCH PLACEMENT". It is clearly aimed at those who have tried to justify kicking Jesus out of the Church & into the closet. I will share just 1 paragraph that captures the flavor of this section:

" 11. While it is true that the actual Holy Sacrifice of the Mass should not be conflated with the Eucharist reserved outside the liturgy, they are certainly not mutually exclusive.

Pope Pius XII said of the altar and the tabernacle, “An awareness of their unity is more important than a realization of their differences. It is one and the same Lord who is immolated on the altar and honored in the tabernacle, and who pours out his blessings from the tabernacle.” This thinking was reflected in the Lineamenta before the 2005 Bishops’ Synod on the Eucharist: “There is no conflict of signs between the tabernacle and the altar of Eucharistic celebration.” "

The next 2 sections describe the rules for construction as well as design & appearance. The norms make it very clear that this is not a case of anything goes. That these tabernacles must be built in a certain way. The booklet forms (link below) also include pictures that show what are acceptable styles of tabernacles. So such so-called tabernacles like the hanging pot (I have actually seen this), modern ugly boxes & the like are no longer OK.

But the norms don't stop there. The next section is titled "PROPER REVERENCE". It starts out by saying: "24. Aside from tending to the tabernacle itself, we must ensure that the faithful receive proper guidance and formation with respect to reverence before the Blessed Sacrament." It makes it clear what is or isn't proper reverance. & the Church proper is not a social hall in particular. "25. Every church should strive to make the tabernacle accessible for prayer during the day, and to preserve a peaceful setting favorable to prayerful visits. Meetings and other activities withouta strictly spiritual purpose should therefore be held elsewhere on the church premises whenever possible."

The document concludes by saying: "27. Above all, “the dignity, placing, and security of the Eucharistic tabernacle should foster adoration before the Lord really present in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar.” When an emphasis on this sacramental reality becomes our priority, we make it self-evident that we believe the church building to be the privileged meeting place between Heaven and Earth."

Not sure how much immediate effect this will have in the diocese. But it is definitely a step in the right direction of restoring things to the way they should be. Let us pray that many more Bishops will quickly follow his lead.

Booklet form of norms with pictures